Last Updated on January 27, 2023 by the Dobies Horticultural TeamWe’re delighted to have Rob Smith, winner of The Big Allotment Challenge 2015 on the team. Rob’s love of veg led to the development of a new heritage veg range that you can read about here and also to a beautiful new range of cut flowers.
Rob says “Flower growing addictive, from easy to grow Calendula and borage, to the more particular larkspur. I’ve chosen varieties that I grew on The Big Allotment Challenge so that you can have a go and growing them and even challenge your gardening friends to a grow off. There are companion plants to help encourage insects, flowers to use for cooking and of course plenty of beautiful flowers to grow, cut and enjoy. Try the stunning lilies or the incredibly productive zinnia. But, whatever you grow, enjoy them!”
Crimson Fountains Mix
“This plant produces beautiful tassels which flow over the dark green foliage. A great choice for cut flowers, it adds that flow arrangements with its fluidity and colour.”
Aquilegia Nora Barlow Mix
“A favourite of mine in the early spring. It will give you a beautiful mix of solid and bi-coloured flowers with that unique flower shape.”
Calendula Fiesta Gitana Mix
“Just cut, and placed in a small vase these flowers add a simple elegance to your home.”
Carnation Chabaud Enchantment Mix
“Chabaud Enchantment has stunning, large flowers with a beautiful heady fragrance you don’t usually get from carnations.”
Cornflower Blue Diadem
“Cornflowers really should be grown in every garden. They not only attract bees by the dozen but they also give you hundreds of beautiful flowers. I used this flower on nearly every arrangement I made on The Big Allotment Challenge.”
Cosmos Rose Bonbon
“This little beauty is more akin to a pink rose with its double flower of powder-pink petals; it forms a rather impressive plant this is literally covered in blooms.”
Dahlia Early Bird Mixed
“I love dahlias but I don’t have the space to over-winter the tubers, so I grow these annual ones. The blooms come in a multitude of colours, with both double and semi-double plants.”
Godetia Rembrandt
“Not only does this plant produce an abundance of blooms but there are so many clustered together that they remind me of a spray of pink roses. Use them in a vase for instant chic.”
Gladiolus Black Star and Green Star
“These varieties in deep purple and lime green really complement each other and add a modern twist to the more usual colours available.”
Helichrysum Monstrosum Double Mixed
These flowers come in shades of rose, crimson, yellow, orange and white and they dry incredibly well. Try putting a flower in an empty tea light and floating them in a large bowl of water, it’s an instant winner!”
Larkspur Fancy Purple Picotee
“Larkspur always remind me of the quintessential country garden and this variety goes one step further with its gorgeous multi-tined flowers.”
Lily Triumphator
“Triumphator lilies are one of my favourite flowers to grow. They produce huge trumpet shaped blooms with an ivory edge and deep purple inner circle.”
Lupin Avalune Lilac
“Lovely purple and white flowers with a beautiful sweet pea-like fragrance. I like to display them in small vases around the house. I’ve also used them in summer table wreaths with great success.”
Nicotiana Sensation Mixed
“This mix produces compact plants with sweet, almost jasmine-like scented flowers.”
Nigella Persian Jewels
“Produces plants with beautiful feathery foliage and unusual flowers. You can cut the flowers to add interest to any arrangement – use them hidden in between other blooms to amaze visitors.”
Rudbeckia Goldsturm
“I used these to win the stacked flower pot challenge in week 4. They really do add a wow factor with their vibrant colour and pronounced central cone.”
Rudbeckia Green Wizard
“Producing large black cones with a golden crown they look amazing in the garden and in a vase. They also work well as dried flowers as they have no petals to dry. Truly magical.”
Stock Miracle Mixed
“Stocks are one of the oldest garden flowers in the UK, recorded in gardens dating back to 1597. Coming in a multitude of colours, you’ll have fragrant displays all around the house when they are in bloom.”
Sunflower Solar Flare F1
“These aren’t the huge sunflowers you can buy, they’re smaller and more user friendly. Especially nice if you fill a vase with them and place it on the kitchen table. I can guarantee everyone will smile when they see them.”
Sweet Pea Patriotic Heritage Mix
“Sweet peas should be in every garden in my opinion. They produce such a lovely fragrance and the more you cut them the more they will reward you with flowers. Whatever you do don’t forget to use them all over the house for a quintessentially British affair. What could look and smell better than this patriotic heritage mix of red, white and blue.”
Sweet Pea Jet Set Mixed
“Beautiful pastel shades of scarlet, crimson, blue, salmon, cerise and mauve look amazing in large terracotta pots or climbing through your roses and shrubs.”
Sweet William Fragrant Cloud F1
“Dense clusters of flowers forming pompon-shaped balls of colour. There are reds, pinks, whites and bi-coloured variations in this mix and it can be grown as an annual or biennial.”
Zinnia Raspberry Lemonade
“In a vase they add interest and a burst of multi-coloured summer. Try adding a few unopened flower buds to the vase with the flowers, they really complement each other, as does the foliage.”